Sigma announces availability of 35mm F1.4 DG HSM for Sony and Pentax

In a brief note on its Japanese website, Sigma has announced that it will be releasing its highly-regarded 35mm F1.4 DG HSM 'Art' lens in Sony and Pentax mounts on 31st May. It's also announced that the Nikon-mount version of its 120-300mm F2.8 DG OS HSM 'Sports' telephoto zoom will go on sale at the same time. We gave the 35mm F1.4 our Gold Award when we reviewed it back in December, for its combination of exceptionally good optics and solid build at a price rather lower than the camera manufacturers' equivalents.

Comments

I still have a Pentax Full Frame FA 35mm F 2.0 that I used with my last film camera. It performs excellently with my K5, and is probably not significantly inferior to the new Sigma 35mm F 1.4 in that regard. I haven't checked for its availability or price, but it may be a cheaper option than the Sigma for Pentax owners.

For e-mount you'd need a different lens design, because of the shorter Flange distance. Get an E to A-mount adapter.

This is a retro-focus design, (focal length is shorter than flange distance) For e-mount a simpler and cheaper design is possible since flange distance is only 18mm. So you don't want this lens in e-mount but a dedicated smaller and cheaper 35mm 1.4 for e-mount.

And f/1.4 is waaaaay overhyped? Maybe if you don't need it you'd think that. What's IBIS going to do when I need 1/250 instead of 1/125 to freeze motion and I'm maxed out on ISO? Nada.

Honestly, you're just talking silly. If you think a $900 35mm f/1.4 Sigma which is hands down the best AF wide-angle prime lens in the business right now is a "rich guys toy blunderbuss" then obviously you're not the market they're targeting.

There's probably a nice kit lens out there that will fit your needs just fine.

"...at a price rather lower than the camera manufacturers' equivalents."

It's just "lower." What's the "rather lower" claptrap?

I think what you really want to say is that it's significantly lower, but your ad sales people will not tolerate that. And you can't bring yourself to go with the simple and straightforward, "at a lower price." So you make yourself feel better with a silly and superfluous "rather" tossed in.

Ha ha, it was an outdoor wedding ceremony in India and for sure it wasn't lit by candles but the area was large (so flash would have very limited coverage) and there were smaller lights placed around the area.

I would show a sample but since it was a wedding there were many people in the photo.

It happened again at a party with friends. Lighting in the restaurant was poor but with ISO 12800 I could get 1/80 shutter speeds and get good enough shots with only the ambient lighting. Thank goodness for the amazing high ISO capababilites of my friends 5D MK III. The photos would have looked like crap if I used my Sony A55. :P

The chances of Pentax informing Sigma that they are making a FF camera is extremely remote if downright impossible considering Pentax doesn't share anything about their lens mount with Sigma and Sigma has to reverse engineer their lenses for all DSLR mounts except their own and for mirror-less mounts.

We Nikon and Canon owners have had the luxury of owning this lens for a few months now, and I can say this 35 f/1.4 Sigma might be the best 35mm, optically, made by anyone, period. It's a great acheivement for a third party manufacturer to be able to design and build something this good for under $1000. I'm glad our Sony and Pentax brothers and sisters get to take the advantage of this optic now. I hope it performs equally well on their platform. It is truly amazing. If your sensor resolves 24 mp, you really need something like this.

Other than not being weather sealed, its build quality is also exceptional and those who get it will notice. If you want the very best in optics, you'll do no better in this focal length than this Sigma. This is not your father's Sigma wide angle. ;-)

This announcement is refreshment to Pentax users, as many lenses is disappear from third party company. What are the main reason to support K-mount? Does Pentax still leading with high quality fixed short focal length with their Limited lenses ? As far as no confirmation for Pentax to go FF, their new Sigma 18-35 1.8 DC HSM lens (dedicated APS-C sensor camera) will be more welcome and interesting. Does it sign Pentax will plunge to FF development?

Even SONY is leaving the mirrored DSLR market. Pentax will either create an entirely new EVIL/mirrorless mount (hopefully support FF) or they will make K-EVIL/mount mirrorless. Not sure I like the 2nd option as that's unnecessarily large and none of the current lenses are designed for PDAF + CDAF.

On a side note, maybe Pentax should just join NEX or X-mount. NEX is open and can accommodate FF.

I am happy with my Sony 1,8 35. It is cheap, and it is light, and the pictures it makes are nice, and it already has fallen of the floor without damage. Why should I spend money for the difference between 1,8 and 1,4?

The Sony 1.8 is indeed a great lens in terms of optics and value.. however the Sigma is different class of lens in many ways - its slightly faster, optically superior, has higher build quality and perhaps most importantly is a full frame lens for cameras like the A99. Whether that justifies the extra 600 or so GBP is down to the individual user and his / her requirements.

Robert, this is not about the entry level Sony 35 f/1.8 lens. That's a good lens for the money. This Sigma is not only full frame capable and not only a little faster, but is in a totally different league altogether. This is a professional grade build level and optics. It might be the best 35mm lens out there right now by anyone and a great acheivement by Sigma.

I'm glad Sigma has decided to release it for Sony and Pentax users. We Nikon and Canon users have had this for a few months now to enjoy. Now our Sony and Pentax brothers and sisters get this quality optic to try out.

As far as you dropping that Sony on the floor, you might want to have it looked at. Elements can become misalligned and you may not know. I've been lucky in not having dropped a lens in almost fifty years of photography, but if I did, I'd want it callibrated by the service center to be sure.

To me it happens quite often, unfortunately, but we see if it detiorates the lens quite quickly nowadays. Plastic Phantastic is really good when it comes to a beating! (though it happened to my all metal 1,4, 85 Minolta as well and neither took harm.